1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle front body structure and more particularly relates to a vehicle front body structure that can enhance protection for the femoral region of a pedestrian and can reduce damage to a vehicle body at a light collision.
2. Related Art
A vehicle front body structure for a vehicle such as an automobile is required to have enhanced protection for a pedestrian so as to reduce damage to the pedestrian at a collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian.
When a passenger car having a typical vehicle height collides with a pedestrian, a part near a front end of a hood often collides with the femoral region of the pedestrian. Accordingly, in order to suppress damage to the femoral region, the vehicle is required to have a structure that can effectively absorb energy at the hood front end.
As related art concerning a vehicle front body structure for protection of the femoral region of a pedestrian, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JPA) No. 2006-264495 discloses a structure in which a bracket protrudes forward from a radiator upper support disposed below a hood front end and absorbs energy upon a collision between a pedestrian and the vehicle, so that damage to the pedestrian can be reduced.
Also, JP-A No. 2007-1358 discloses a structure including a pedestrian protection member made of a sheet metal panel and disposed in front of a bumper beam.
It is possible to enhance protection for a pedestrian with an energy absorbing member attached to a support member on an upper end of a radiator, as disclosed in JPA No. 2006-264495.
However, in the case where a vehicle lightly collides against, for example, another vehicle, or a wall, and the energy absorbing member receives a larger load than a load generated at a collision with a pedestrian, the energy absorbing member may press a vehicle body structural member and result in damage to the vehicle body structural member. Accordingly man-hours for repair, repair cost, and the like may increase.